I think the only requirement would be a. you like beer b. don’t stick your fingers in it. I’m not sure when I’ll be ready to brew, but beer tasting is an important skill for a beer brewer.
My immediate focus is to culture yeasts, so I’m actively looking for agar (vegetarian jello), petri dishes and some glass rod (that could be shaped into cell culture tools). Throw in a pressure cooker and the microbiology lab will be operational.